Russia for more observers in Georgia

The powerful former Kremlin leader also urged the European Union to refrain from imposing sanctions against Russia when it meets for an emergency summit on Monday.

A transcript of the interview to Germany's ARD television was released by the Russian government Saturday and excerpts were broadcast on Russian television.

"We know there were many US advisors there," Putin said, reiterating remarks he had made in a previous interview to CNN.

"But these instructors, teachers in a general sense, personnel who trained others to work on the supplied military equipment, are supposed to be in training centres and where were they? In the military operations zone," he said.

Georgian Reintegration Minister Temur Yakobashvili called for Russian leaders to be punished with targeted sanctions.

Georgia on Saturday also imposed visa restrictions on Russian citizens, with a foreign ministry spokeswoman saying it was a tit-for-tat measure. The new visa regime will take effect on September 8.